Recovery

Warning. I'm posting pictures of my post surgical foot. They're a little gross, but not necessarily graphic in any way. Just some swelling, bruising and some redness. Seriously, my foot looked like it had been run over by a truck.





Last Thursday I went to get my stitches out. I had gone from a bandage like this:



to one that was basically just gauze. I don't have a picture of my gauzed foot, but it was easy to keep a big stretchy sock over and to offer just enough support that I could hobble short distances barefoot. I hadn't seen my foot since 2 days after the surgery when my Dr. changed my surgical dressing. It just looked like a big puffy sausage with some stitches. So when I finally saw my foot a week later, it was a bit shocking. I wasn't really ready for all the bruising. My incision is just over an inch long.



I also thought it was kinda gross that my signature was still on my foot a week and a half later.

Here's my foot today, nearly two weeks after surgery.



Really, you should be glad the first picture was a crappy cell phone one in my bad office lighting because the bruises were ugly. Now they're mostly gone. Plus I finally painted my toenails. Yay!

I still have a bit of swelling, but my Dr. says it looks great. I joked with John last night that it looks like my left foot got botox since the wrinkles are all nice and filled out and my right foot is all sad and wrinkly.

My Dr. cleared me to wear tennis shoes as long as they're comfortable. Honestly, I hadn't thought my foot was that swollen anymore until I tried to put it in a tennis shoe. I can only do short bits in a regular shoe before I have to put the surgical shoe back on. He also said I needed a really good arch support. My right foot was sore from hobbling around, I put the arch support in my right shoe and all the sudden the pain was gone. I couldn't believe it! I'm probably going to be wearing them for the rest of my life they're so wonderful. Nothing compared to the gel insoles I sometimes wear. Go buy yourself some arch supports. They'll solve everything.

I'll be in tennis shoes for awhile, probably about a month. Whenever I ask my Dr. about doing activities or timelines, he still gives me the conservative timeline. The closest he's come to giving me anything shorter is that I just need to do what I'm comfortable with. If I feel like I can wear a tennis shoe, wear it. If it feels better to keep it elevated, then do it. He wants me to keep up with the ibuprofen to help with the swelling and any pain for at least another week. When I asked about activity he said to do what I'm comfortable with.

For now I'm wearing the surgical shoe mostly and keeping it elevated if I'm sitting. Neither are going to hurt me, they'll just help speed my recovery. I'm glad that I'm doing so well, but have been careful not to push myself too far and take it easy after doing any extended activity.

Also Happy Valentine's Day since this post is going to be published Monday morning. John and I decided this year our gift to eachother would be to not give eachother anything and it's fabulous. Best decision ever.